Chapter 7: Silver Knight

Ami and the others poured over their notes from their gross anatomy session with Bernard - the name had well and truly stuck - going over the anatomic terms together as well as reading from their textbooks on a turn basis to try and make new notes. As always, Hugo seemed to come more alive when they touched on anything vaguely biomedical. He had stated his interest was to become a surgeon but Ami also thought he would make an excellent biomedical scientist too. She wondered whether his father would approve — she imagined his father would prefer for his son to become a surgeon like him.

After about three and a half hours of non-stop discussion, Hugo eyed Dan.

'You haven't said anything in a while.'

The lighter haired man looked up. 'I… I was just making notes.'

'You're thinking about that stupid game!'

Dan rubbed his eyes and groaned, 'We have been doing this for three and a half hours. Never mind the game – I'm starting to get hungry!'

A tiny grumble filled the air.

Ami blushed as all eyes turned to her. 'I guess I'm hungry too.'

Dan immediately got up and went to his fridge. 'I'm putting a pizza in. Let's break.'

Kris turned to Hugo and sighed, 'He has a point there, slave-driver.'

He relented, throwing down his pen. 'Fine, fine…'

She got up to help Dan in the kitchen, once again leaving Ami and Hugo alone. The moment she thought she was free to talk to him without the other two hearing, she leaned over the table and spoke softly to him.

'Are you feeling OK?' a little frantic now.

He looked up, forcing a smile. 'I'm fine.'

'Because you look exhausted,' Ami said. 'More so than usual, anyway.'

'It's nothing, really.'

'Hugo!'

Her tone was so sharp he looked genuinely surprised. Truth was she was surprised at herself too — in her heart, though, she was truly starting to feel fear and worry. Something wasn't right with Hugo and it had got worse since the moment that odd sensation had passed between them back at the shop. It had made her feel better but had clearly made him feel worse.

Despite everything, he finally seemed receptive to her mild tartness.

A heavy sigh escaped his chest. 'I… just haven't been sleeping. Longer the day goes on, the worse I feel,' he explained. 'And I don't want to go to sleep because I always have…' and he thought about the next word carefully, 'Bad dreams.'

'What sort of "bad dreams"?'

He shrugged. 'I don't even remember all the details. I just seem to keep waking up in a cold sweat, feeling as if I'm about to fall or something. Ugh!'

Hugo threw his head back with a languid laugh. 'Sorry, I'm not making sense.'

'Maybe you should see a doctor?' Ami suggested before snickering slightly. 'I mean, your mother is a doctor so she must know some good ones.'

He looked up at the ceiling.

'This isn't the sort of thing you can go to a doctor about,' he mumbled, before flashing her his best attempt at a winning look. 'Don't worry too much, Ami. Really, it's fine.'

Ami looked away pensively. 'I can't help it. For some reason I just get the feeling you—'

At that moment Dan came skipping back into the room.

'Okay, the pizza should be ready in about ten minutes!' he declared happily. He immediately moved over to the game console to grab the two controllers. 'Time for some multiplayer Silver Knight!'

He shoved one of the controllers into Hugo's weak hands.

'You can be my player two!' Dan announced straight away.

'I don't really feel up to it,' Hugo began half-heartedly.

'Come on!' the pale-haired man persisted. 'You love playing video games and this is the adventure RPG platformer. Of. The. Moment.'

With a weak nod of the head, Hugo complied and leaned forward to look at the screen.

'Let's make it a contest, the Guys against the Gals,' Dan decided. 'I'll play Hugh, Krissy plays Ams and then the two winners have a face off.'

Kris sat down at the end of the sofa.

'Oh, no,' she groaned. 'I know nothing about these games!'

'It's really simple,' Ami promised her with a tiny smile. 'If it's anything like Sailor V, once you get into it you'll press the buttons without even having to think about it.'

'If you say so…'

As the home screen came on Ami was indeed reminded of Sailor V as the title, written in Japanese with the English title imposed over the top read Silver Knight. Dan took them onto the selection menu. The main character — designed in a very similar way to Sailor V — was dressed in a white uniform with silver armour fan plates, gauntlets and a mask, all silver to match his same-coloured hair, and greenish-grey eyes.

He reminded Ami of someone, but she couldn't put her finger on it although for some reason she kept thinking of Artemis.

Dan keyed in two players then side-glanced at Hugo with a baleful stare. 'We play the first stage on multiplayer mode. I haven't tried it yet—'

'Says you,' Hugo cut in.

He ignored him, '—because the multiplayer is different from single player.'

Then he turned back to the television, preparing himself.

'But I should warn you,' Dan smiled smugly. 'I'm an ace at this.'

Hugo glimpsed back at him. 'Oh, I'm sure you are.'

They began slowly, the screen split with Hugo on the bottom and Dan at the top. Ami watched them as they ran through the side-scrolling level. The graphics, artwork and even the enemies reminded her of Sailor V — to the point of suspicion. Perhaps she would have to look into this? Best thing to do with be to ask Artemis directly but…

She leaned forward and picked up the box.

'Who makes this game?'

Kris also looked curiously at the logo and company title. It read Nijisuishō and it was accompanied by an eight-pointed star, coloured ironically in grey. Ironic to Ami at least as she knew what the Japanese-sounding company name meant. 'Rainbow Crystal,' she repeated under her breath. Sounds like something Artemis might come up with…

The game suddenly started blaring with accomplishment and goal-reaching sound effects. Ami and Kris's heads whipped back to the screen as the boys both frantically pressed buttons on the controllers. To Ami's surprise, despite how out of it he was, Hugo was whirring through the stage like a pro! Each time an enemy appeared, he pre-empted it and dodged before blasting it with the purple sword the Silver Knight character carried.

Dan's lips curled up, sneering.

'You're shockingly good at this, Mr. Zed.'

Hugo ignored him; his eyes were glued to the screen like his life depended on it.

'You haven't been hit once,' Dan jibed on.

Again, Hugo just carried on.

'It's like,' Dan nattered on, desperately bashing his thumb, 'you aren't even human.'

In a sudden flash, Hugo snapped out of his trance, dropped the controller and clasped his face.

'Hey, the controllers cost money, you know!' Dan snapped, also looking away from the screen.

They were all silenced by how disorientated Hugo seemed.

'I'm okay, I'm okay…' he rambled into his palms.

Ami was immediately on it, resting a hand on his shoulder.

'Hugo, you are NOT okay!'

Dan paused the game straight away, his eyebrows twisted in concern. 'Hey, man I was only joking!'

He continued to ignore him, now just rubbing his cramped hands. From the look of him, Ami guessed even Hugo couldn't explain what had got into him just then.

As if waking up from a dream, he blinked and looked at the three concerned faces. Hugo finally forced a smile, 'Sorry about that everyone. My hand cramped up. Guess I was getting too far into it.'

'Not many,' Kris said, pointing at the screen. On Hugo's section it showed an outlandishly high score, far and much higher than Dan's was, 'You boys and your dick-swinging competitiveness. Seriously!'

Dan slapped a hand on Hugo's shoulder. 'That was an intense battle! We should do it again.'

Ami looked between the two. I certainly hope not…

'Yeah, maybe,' Hugo said simply.

At that moment, the oven pinged to announce the pizza was done.

'Well,' Kris said, capturing the mood with levity only she could provide. 'I think that signifies half-time, don't you?'

Upon getting home, Ami finally decided she had learned enough to call home and let the others know what was going on.

The likelihood was that as soon as she mentioned the Phantom, they would freak out at the prospect of a new enemy operating outside of Japan where they could not easily get to it. The only frontier for the battle against this potential threat would be her – Ami Mizuno by day, Sailor Mercury by night. No overpowered Moon magic, no mighty bursts of energy, powerful fire, lightening, sea or wind elements.

Just me, myself and I, she thought bleakly.

She didn't kid herself. Ami knew that Sailor Mercury was the weakest of the Solar System Senshi — barring Mamoru but he didn't count seeing as he could not physically transform — and her role had always been intel first and foremost. Her powers were not built for damage but for support but here she had no one to support. More importantly there was no one to support her.

But she needed advice and there was no good sugar-coating anything.

She got up the video phone and started the call.

Almost immediately after the first ring there they were all, huddled around the computer screen — Usagi, Rei, Minako, Makoto, Luna and Artemis — all crying greetings over each other. They had not spoken to her for at least two weeks as she had been so completely tied up with studies. Usagi in particular had been sending many sad, lamenting messages saying how she hated not being able to speak to her every day.

'Mamo keeps saying that a lot has to go into becoming a doctor, though,' she sulked sadly. 'So I suppose I can understand…'

'Nevermind that, though!' Minako said keenly, clapping her hands joyfully. 'Tell us more about London life. Have you been to all the attractions yet?'

'The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace…' Makoto listed off on her fingers.

Minako rolled her eyes, 'I was thinking of Oxford Street, Regent Street…'

'It is such a hub of culture and history!' Artemis sighed happily. 'Europe is such a wonderful place and British has such a distinct feel to it. Even way back when, it was in my top ten favourite places to visit in the Solar System.'

It would be a dream place for an intellectual such as him to visit, although naturally it would be hard for him in his cat form to sneak onto a plane without ending up in the strict British quarantine for six months.

'Far too damp for my liking,' Luna sighed. 'And it used to freeze over something nasty back in the days of the Silver Millennium.'

Ami chuckled lightly, 'I haven't really had a chance to see any of those things I've been so busy with classes.'

'Fair enough,' Minako pouted before her face lit up again. 'Buuuuut there must be loads of hot guys on your course, right? And all of them are training to be doctors too!'

She cooed dreamily.

'Well, you'd have a lot in common with them,' Makoto agreed, smiling. 'They don't just have to be hot. I-I mean I'd love to meet a guy at the place I work at who could appreciate my cooking and help me with it.'

'Work?' Ami repeated.

Rei turned to address the camera directly. 'Mako got a job teaching at an evening school –cooking, sewing and floristry. A woman visiting my temple got her into it.'

'Mako, that's so perfect for you!' Ami gasped excitedly, genuinely pleased for her 'Not only will it sharpen your skills but it'll help you raise money to open your first shop!'

The tall copper-haired angel's cheeks went noticeably red. She had to look away for the sake of modesty. Ami missed seeing all those quirks of her friends' in real life — Makoto's modesty, Usagi's pouting, Minako's inexhaustible enthusiasm for almost everything… 'It's nothing really,' Makoto mumbled shyly. 'But… I'm really enjoying it so far.'

'Ooooo,' Mianko suddenly cut in. 'Tell her about your secret boyfriend!'

'Mina!' Makoto protested.

'Boyfriend?' Ami asked politely, very curious but also noting how embarrassed Mako looked.

Usagi clapped her hands excitedly. 'Yes, he's this guy who is teaching a literature class at the same place Mako works!'

'Usagi, please stop!' she begged. 'It's nothing, really. It's not like that—'

'But she won't let us see him…' Minako groaned childishly. 'All we know is that he's some really hot American guy, and—'

Makoto scowled and snapped: 'He's not American! He's…um…'

She blushed as she had given the game away that there was a mystery man in her life.

Rei rolled her eyes. 'These two even staked out the evening school to try and see him.'

'But he was off sick!' the two blondes groaned in unison.

Artemis shook his head, 'Serves you both right for being nosey.'

'And then some,' Rei agreed.

This led into a bushel of words being thrown back and forth.

Everyone was so busy chatting over each other, trying to get a word in edgeways. Ami didn't know if she should say anything and instead stared slack jawed as Usagi, Mina, Mako and Artemis spoke in unison. It took a sudden call for quiet from Luna to silence them: a distinct scratch on each of their hands. Only Rei seemed to escape the score — even Artemis wasn't spared licking his wound literally.

'Ami,' the black cat said firmly. 'What was so urgent that you needed to speak with us?'

She tensed up. Now she was about to tell them, she was scared of what their reaction would be. Still, she took a deep breath and spoke as quickly as possible.

'I'm sorry but I've been keeping something from all of you for a few weeks now because… I didn't want to worry you.'

Luna stared. 'Do you have a boyfriend too?'

'There's no "too"!' Makoto cried, clasping her cheeks. 'He's not my boyfriend. He's my friend.'

Usagi giggled, 'Even Luna is getting nosey!'

Unable to stop herself, Ami blushed. Thankfully the video quality was too low quality for any of them to notice.

'It has nothing to do with boys,' she said slowly, taking one last deep breath before blurting it out. 'I have reason to believe — no, I am certain at this point — that I have discovered a new enemy operating out of London.'

That got everyone's attention as they all gasped and muttered over each other, trying to be to one who got heard.

'We haven't encountered any enemies since the defeat of Chaos!' Makoto gasped, ending up being the loudest of them all. 'Ami, are you sure?!'

'I wouldn't have said anything if I wasn't,' Ami said grimly.

That was the truth too.

Suddenly, Minako discarded her flighty personality and adopted the strong, resolute persona that was entirely Sailor Venus. It reminded Ami of her dreams especially; that was the only place where memories of the original Venus lived on in her mind now.

'Who is this enemy? Minako asked. 'What have you found out so far?'

'Not a huge amount but I can show you what I have found,' Ami replied.

She quickly connected her supercomputer to the laptop and began typing.

'I'm sending through what little I have,' she explained, first sending her small reports on the enemy in question. 'He calls himself the Phantom. He always keeps his face obscured so it is difficult to get a good picture of him. This is all I have so far…'

There was a bing as the pictures came through on their side and they punched it up on the screen.

Luna stared. 'Hm, I am not familiar with this person.'

'I didn't think you would be,' Ami sighed.

'He wears a hood as well as a mask from the looks of things,' Minako pointed out, folding her arms and scowling. 'He really doesn't want anyone to see him, does he? What has he been up to, Ami?'

'I'm not completely sure,' she admitted. 'Every time I come across him he seems to make less and less sense…'

It was at this moment she produced the ominous crystal, which she had sealed in a glass container for "security" purposes. She was anxious about telling them what she had found out today but… if she was going to explain what happened the other night at Mr. Dunsten's shop then she would have to tell them even if it made them worry more.

'But I have this to show from our meetings,' Ami finally said.

Rei scowled, 'A… clear crystal?'

'What did he do with it?' Artemis asked.

'I'm not sure how he's doing it,' she started to say, putting the crystal down, 'but he is somehow projecting a dark aura through this crystals and others like it. At first I thought it was just to get my attention but the other night…'

It flashed through her mind again, that zombie-like teenager groaning at her. "Core, core, core… find the core!"

'I think he used it hypnotise people,' she continued. 'A few nights ago, some of his victims attacked a new age-type shop belonging to a friend of mine. They said they were looking for… some sort of "core".'

She paused for a moment to see if that word was familiar to anyone. Sadly, even Luna and Artemis seemed oblivious.

'I still haven't figured out exactly how he does it but I am guessing he is using stones like this to boost a signal that helps control the people,' Ami describe. 'I had to run all over town trying to disarm them. This one is from when I first encountered him. He used it to get me to appear.'

That sent a chill down everyone's spines.

'You mean to get you to appear as Sailor Mercury?' Artemis said frantically.

She nodded slowly. 'I don't think he knows I'm Sailor Mercury but he knows there is a Sailor Senshi in London.'

Minako closed her eyes in thought.

'None of us have transformed in such a long time.'

'There hasn't been a need to,' Rei stated, a sense of sadness in her voice. She genuinely seemed to miss the old days of almost always being Sailor Mars. It was a sentiment that Ami could understand although she didn't completely share those feelings. Having the chance to just be Ami Mizuno had been nice for the short while it had lasted. To think she had thought going to London would be peace and quiet!

'Have you done a scan of the crystal?' Luna asked.

Ami bit her lip. 'It's… just an ordinary crystal when it isn't active. I don't know how he's doing it but the Phantom is able to re-activate them at will, sometimes without my even noticing.' She decided to keep his comments about having overheard all her conversations to herself. Even now, she was eyeing it cautiously.

'Perhaps if we analysed it we could find out what type of crystal it is?' Luna said, turning to Artemis. 'It might reveal how he is doing it.'

'No need,' Ami said bleakly, her heart hammering. 'I know what type of crystal it is. My friend's uncle was able to tell me,' and she paused with baited breath, 'It's a Goshenite.'

Everyone looked at each other.

'Goshenite,' Artemis repeated coldly, nervously. 'Suddenly I feel a little uneasy.'

'Huh, why?' Usagi asked, blinking in confusion.

Luna answered, 'Goshenite is an Earth-exclusive gemstone that was used in a lot of their magic… and it was beloved especially by a certain someone in our past.'

This part Ami had not known although she was not surprised. It confirmed her fears, though. But now could it be possible that she of all people…?

'Who?' Rei asked, making the suspense all the more painful.

Artemis looked up ominously, 'Lady Beryl.'

'Lady Be—y-you mean Queen Beryl!?' Makoto heaved.

'But it can't be!' Rei snapped, and thrust her hand towards Minako. 'Venus killed her! Twice! She's dead.'

Usagi said nothing, having gone completely pale.

'Will everyone calm down?!' Luna hissed fretfully. 'It is extremely unlikely that Beryl has anything to do with any of this.'

'Exactly, we aren't saying she is!' Artemis added forcefully. Then he looked towards the crystal sealed in the jar again, 'It is the significance of the crystal itself that concerns me.'

Everyone was all ears, especially Ami. While she was relieved that she wasn't likely to be facing a "Neo Queen Beryl" of any sort she wanted to know why this crystal was so special. They would all be disappointed with the answer as Artemis scratched the back of his ear and sighed.

'Trouble is that so much of that knowledge was destroyed along with Earth's history after the end of the Silver Millennium was lost,' he told them. 'Even then, it was simply knowledge that the Moon Kingdom did not have. The Terrans were very protective of their magicks.'

'Anything you can tell us would be helpful, Artemis,' Minako assured him.

'It's all very convoluted but here it is,' the white cat breathed heavily. 'Earth was such a curiosity for the other planets due to the vast array of crystals and minerals that could be found here. Even Jupiter's Moons paled in comparison to the sheer power and beauty of Earth stones.' He paused, trying to remember the details properly before continuing, 'If I remember correctly Goshenite was one of the most popular stones used to perform magic, especially the reflective kind.'

Everyone was silent.

'What does that mean?' Rei asked.

'Simply put,' Luna added, 'It was used for crystal balls, improving eyesight, healing, enhancing metaphysical powers, heightening vision and dreams. Beryl – well, Queen Beryl – was a seer. That's why she used them but she by no means the only one to use them.'

Ami suddenly remembered – 'That's what Kris said. I mean, she's a friend of mine. She called Goshenite the "seer stone" when she found out what it was.'

Luna nodded, 'A lot of the superstitions of the old world have made their way through to the new, but the knowledge of how to use the stones is long since lost.'

'The fact that this "Phantom" character is using Goshenite indicates that he has knowledge of Earth magic, but does not have the power to do anything other than use it to reflect dark magic,' Artemis concluded.

'Too bad we don't know more about this Earth magic, though,' Rei murmured.

It was then Usagi had a thought. 'I could ask Mamo! He might know.'

Rei raised an eyebrow, 'His memories of the past aren't exactly… stellar, even now.'

'But he's the closest thing we have to an Old Earth Expert we have!' Minako declared, and nodded an approval to her princess. 'Call him as soon as you can and ask him.'

Usagi nodded, just happy that somehow she and Mamoru could help Ami, even in a small way.

As this information overload sunk in, Ami looked down at the bottled crystal. 'But we are certain that the dark energy wasn't emitting from the stone itself?'

'Impossible,' Artemis said. 'They can only be used to reflect dark energy from another source.'

'Ami, you will have to search for the source of that energy,' Luna concluded.

It was then that Makoto cut in, raising her hands for silence. 'Aren't we all missing the point here? This man could be dangerous and Ami is out there all by herself!'

Ami had been so deep in thought that she could barely hear what her friend was saying. She looked up distantly and spoke quietly. 'I can handle myself, Mako.'

'But she's right, you need to be careful!' Rei protested. 'If anything happens, just let us know and we'll—'

'There isn't a lot you can do,' Ami bluntly stated. 'You're a third-way around the world.'

'Nonetheless,' Minako said. 'If you need any help or backup, let us know. We'll help you all we can. This enemy is an Earth-bound one so hopefully there won't be any monsters or lasers involved.'

Ami laughed for the first time in a while at that.

'Thank you.'

They all looked at her, all smiling with happiness that she was well but sadness that something might be going on that they could not directly help her with. It was only after five seconds of no one saying anything that one lone voice, the one who had been most silent for the last few minutes of conversation chimed up.

'Ami?' Usagi whispered with a tiny smile on her lips. 'All of this aside, how have you been, really?'

'Really well,' she assured her. 'I'm really enjoying the course and the environment. Evil Phantom aside, I'm very happy.'

'Studying in Europe has been your dream for years,' Usagi muttered nostalgically. 'Have you made any new friends yet?'

'Yes, I have.'

She really had. They were her friends – people she had met and bounded with all by herself. Kris was fast becoming a truly good friend to Ami – funny, independent, kind, sassy – she was someone she knew the others would just love. Then there was Dan who was an oddball but when it mattered always seemed to come through, even if he was a bit weird how he showed his affection.

Then there was Hugo. Just the thought of him made her chest tighten and her lips smile. But then her heart sank. Should I tell them about him? Ami mused nervously. What would they say if they ever saw him? She was sure that if they did their reaction would match hers had been first time she saw him: "It's Zoisite! Kill him with fire or lightening or anything else you've got!"

'Who are they?' Usagi asked keenly. 'What are they like?'

'Would we like them?' Makoto added.

Ami realized what they were doing now. They were all smiling at the camera, keen and positive. They wanted to keep her calm, to cheer her up, to remind her that she really wasn't facing this alone even if they couldn't be right with her.

'Ha, come on, girls!' Ami chuckled. 'You make it sound like I'm bringing a man home to meet you all!'

'Which brings me back to my earlier point,' Minako said, leaning forward with a leer spread across her face. 'Any hot guys we should know about?'

Ami swallowed hard. All she could think about was Hugo all of a sudden: smile, long fingers, the bobbing Adam's apple when he threw his head back laughing, that beautiful blond mane, and those speckled green eyes.

God, what is wrong with me?!

'He… he's just a friend,' she whispered quietly. Just like Kris and Dan. Friend.

As soon as she said it, though, Ami knew she had made a mistake much like Mako had earlier. Immediately her head snapped up as she was ready to deny anything was going on… but it was too late, of course. 'Oh, well, what I meant is—'

'Uh-huh, "friends", eh?' Minako teased.

'I knew it!' Usagi cried gleefully. 'Ami has boyfriend!'

Rei rolled her eyes, 'Just ignore them, Ami.'

'I was going to,' Ami chuckled, trying to make light of the situation with a wink. It provoked a pout from Minako, but they both knew she was joking. 'I'm in a study group with him – my friend – and two other friends. We met in gross anatomy but we go over more or less everything together. There's Christabel who we all call "Kris" for short and then there is Daniel.'

'Daniel,' Minako repeated. 'What a cute name!'

Gone again was "Serious Venus" and back was "Flighty Mina-P".

'He's a bit of an oddball joker,' Ami went on. 'But Kris always keeps him in check. I think you all would really like her. She's very feisty.'

'But what about the other guy?' Makoto asked, leaning on the heels of her hands dreamily. Boy crazy, as always! 'What's he like?'

She bit her lip, taking a moment. It was now or never. It wasn't like she was showing them a picture or anything.

'His name is Hugo. He's… very nice.'

Her change in tone did not escape the notice of any of them. Of course, Usagi was the one to say what Ami was dreading. 'Aah! I as just teasing before but Ami, you really do like him!'

That hit her like an iron bar on that back of the head.

'W-what?'

'It's so obvious!' Usagi said excitedly. 'You love him!'

'I-I…' Ami was genuinely speechless.

'Is he handsome?' Makoto carried on, smirking. 'He must be! And I'll bet he's brainy, too. You've gone all flustered just saying his name.'

'What does he look like?' Minako asked.

'What is wrong with all of you?' Rei snapped, looking around at everyone. 'It's just a man - why can't she just be friends with him?'

Ami was barely listening anymore. Usagi's words rang through her head: "You like him! You love him!" over and over again. It would be a lie to say she had never thought about it before yet being confronted with it by her friends had shaken her slightly.

Yes, there was no denying at that point that Hugo was very attractive and Ami was very attracted to him. There was also a part of her than suspected – hoped – that he felt the same way about her. After all, had it not been him who asked her out for coffee and then offered to go with her to the New Age shop. True, he could have just been being friendly but then why had he been so awkward and shy when he asked her for coffee, like his heart was on the line?

Now it was there in her mind, she would never be able to forget it. She did like him and it was in that way.

Ami smiled to herself, amazed at how calm she was feeling at the prospect of – dare she even think it without breaking her smile? – falling in love.

'He is very intelligent,' she finally said, answering Makoto's question. 'He's always the top of our class, which makes him a good study partner.'

'Yes, "study partner",' Minako said with that suggestive tone again.

Artemis looked up at her and shook his head, 'Oh Mina…'

Hearing him speak again reminded Ami of the thing she wanted to ask him. Even over the video he saw the gleam cast over her eyes. 'What is it, Ami?'

'This is a little off topic but…' and she held up a poster of The Silver Knight game. After Dan had seen her express interest in the box art – or what he assumed was the box art – he happily gave her the little A5 poster, waving it in her face like a British Umino. "This poster was exclusively released only here in Europe! Even Japan didn't get this poster! I have three of them!" Of course, it was not just the character she had wanted to show Artemis but also the company logo in the bottom left corner. 'Do you know anything about this game?'

Everyone stared at the poster.

Minako and Usagi both squeaked in unison. 'That's Shirubā kishi!' the former stated immediately, before cooing. 'Isn't he dreamy? They're calling him the male Sailor V.'

'You're Sailor V, Mina-P!' Usagi giggled, tapping her friend on the shoulder.

Rei rolled her eyes, 'You're getting gooey over a video game character now?'

'I'm kinda hoping for a crossover one day,' Minako confessed, folding her arms and nodding. 'Oooo! Multiplayer! Sailor V vs. Shiruba kishi… wouldn't you play that?'

Everyone decided to ignore them and turn back to Ami who was already surprised that the same was already known back home without her knowing it. 'So it really is a game in Japan too?'

Rei turned away from the blondes and smiled, 'Apparently. I don't really play videogames much these days. Just watch Usagi and Mina bomb at them.'

'I still go there,' Makoto chimed in. 'I've played it a couple of times and it's great fun! It's not as intuitive to me as Sailor V is, though.'

'Yes, well,' Artemis said, head held up proudly, a little complacently, 'I intended Sailor V to be a training simulation for Mina. She'd have never got off her backside and done anything had I not.'

'Hey!' Minako growled, showing she was still half listening to the rest of the conversation amidst nerding out with Usagi.

'But according to Daniel, Shiruba kishi is a boy-version of Sailor V,' Ami announced, looking down at the poster again. The way Silver Knight looked was a lot like how V looked. 'He looks a little like you, Artemis.'

'What?!' the white cat blurted, shocked at both the assertion that Shiruba kishi and Sailor V were part of the same "universe" and the accusation that the character looked like him.

Luna's eyes widened and she stared at the poster. 'Hm, now that you mention it…'

'There is a resemblance,' Makoto agreed. 'I'd never thought about it before.'

Usagi smirked as Minako flicked Artemis's ear playfully. 'Did you want to be the hero of your own video game too, Arty-tan?'

'Don't be silly!' Artemis shouted. 'That guy looks nothing like me. For one thing, I'm a cat—but even when I'm not a cat I don't look exactly like that.'

'Of course not,' Minako agreed. 'You purposely made yourself look buffer and more suave else it would never have sold.'

Even Luna giggled at that, to which Artemis immediately looked back at the poster Ami had shown them. 'He looks nothing like me: his hair his shorter, it's cut differently, he's wearing bits of armour – although pretty impractically if you ask me – and most importantly… I don't know anything about this game franchise.'

'But how can that be?' Ami questioned immediately. 'The two games were made by the same company, I checked.'

She pointed out the starry-logo and the name.

Artemis's brow noticeably scowled. 'Well, obviously, the game was outsourced once it became popular. Once all of you started to awaken, Luna and I couldn't just get by with the one machine – we had to make more. So I… sold the rights to the franchise in exchange for being able re-programme the games to suit my purpose.'

Minako's eyes widened. 'You sold the rights to Sailor V?!'

'Don't knock it,' Luna sighed. 'We used the money to properly upgrade the command centre.'

'But I was Sailor V!' the disheartened blonde pouted. 'To think of all the royalties I could have got…'

Everyone just ignored her and turned back to Ami, who continued. 'So it is NIJISUISHŌ who make the games now? And they know nothing about what the games are used for?'

Artemis took a full second before he answered.

'No, of course not,' he assured her. 'Why? Have you heard something about them too?'

'No, I just… was surprised never to have heard about it before,' Ami finished.

The cat just smiled kindly. 'Well, it never mattered to me how I brought the game to you girls, only that it helped keep you all safe.'

'But if it makes you feel better,' Luna cut in, having remained surprising quiet through most of the discussion. 'We'll look into it on our end too. Who knows? Maybe there is something in this "Shiruba kishi" thing. Could be connected to this "Phantom" person, eh?'

Ami was grateful for that. 'That would be great, thank you!'

'I'll help them too!' Minako declared, rolling up her sleeves. 'Hard as Shiruba kishi is, I have the high score on the game. You'll need me to see the later levels.'

'Um, I was thinking we would just hack one of the game machines and see ourselves but…' Luna began, then looking between Mina and Artemis before giving an uncomfortable smile. 'I suppose seeing the game in action won't hurt either.'

Listening to the girls bickering, talking over each other and showing such concern for her had made Ami feel much better. It was like a weight off her chest. Plus it had been nice to hear what they had been up to as well as vent about her concerns about the Phantom.

With that aspect of her life at rest, she turned again to life here in London.

Getting out her supercomputer again, Ami flicked through a couple of pictures until she finally found the one she was looking for – the image of the shadowed figure outside the shop. Truth was she had almost forgotten about him and the picture she took. As such as she tried to improve the quality, there was no seeing any distinguishing features.

'Are you the man that helped Mr. Dunsten?' she asked the image.

Needless to say she got no answer.

'I hope Hugo is OK after today,' she suddenly added, completely off topic.

Now she had time to real think about what had happened today, Ami wondered if it really had been her fault that Hugo had become so tired so suddenly. He claimed he was no sleeping but he had seemed fine until the moment in the shop when he touched her and made everything feel so much better. Was that a coincidence or had it been something her body had unconsciously done?

She had never done it before – sapped energy from another being.

'I'm overthinking,' Ami declared out loud to herself, putting her computer away. It was time to go to bed, in any case.

Before she began the bed time rituals, she checked one last time to make sure the beryl crystal was secure in its air-tight glass prison.

Until I am certain of what you are, she thought to herself. I am not letting you or anyone else touch it again.

Thank you so much everyone for reading and hope you take the time to leave your thoughts on this latest update (and the rest of the story as a whole) as I love to hear your thoughts on the plot, characters or anything else that come to mind while you are reading this. Also as suggested by another reviewer, here are some questions to keep you thinking:

What are your thoughts on the Silver Knight game?

Do you think it could be connected to the Phantom?

Are you suspicious about the affect it appeared to have on Hugo?

Is Hugo in your good books - or your "wait and see" books? How about Dan and Kris?

What are your thoughts on the dreaded goshenite?

All things to consider, even if you don't have an answer. Do you have any questions for me? I just love hearing from you all. Hearing your thoughts is what keeps this story coming as your enthusiasm inspires me.

One last thing, I was thinking of doing a little tie-in piece called "Meanwhile in Tokyo". Now we are at this point in the story, I think it is time to see what the other girls are up to and how they are dealing with Ami's situation. No promises but it's "in development" as it were.